Pentecost celebrates the coming of God’s Spirit of love into His Church. How could you explain the love of God to someone who does not know Him? How can we ourselves, as Christian disciples, understand the love of God, as incomprehensible as it is? God’s love has been described in Scripture in various ways; particularly as water, fire, and wind. God’s love is like water. Jesus said, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me,…
As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. –John 13:34-5 As Christian disciples, we are called to love God and others. In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells the apostles that we are to love our brothers and sisters in Christ in a special way: as He loves us. Jesus loves you and I more…
Love is patient, love is kind… – 1 Corinthians 13:4 St. Thomas Aquinas wrote, “To love is to will the good of another” (ST I-II, Q26, A4). Our second reading today is the gorgeous gem of St. Paul’s definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13. It is at the same time one of my favorite pieces of Scripture and one that challenges me most. I read it each morning and try to live up to…
As a young man marries a virgin, your Builder shall marry you; and as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride so shall your God rejoice in you. – Isaiah 62:5 It’s no surprise that Jesus performs His first sign in the Gospel of John at a wedding (John 2:1-11). There is rich marriage imagery in the Bible from Genesis to Song of Songs to Isaiah. It continues through the Gospels and epistles and culminates in…
And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” – Luke 3:22 Baptism washes away sin, so why did Jesus need to be baptized? He was sinless: “…he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin” (1 John 3:5). This is why John the Baptist tried to prevent him from being baptized: “‘I need to be baptized by you, and do…
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. – Mark 13:32 During these final dark, chilly weeks of the Church year, we turn our attention to the last things: heaven, hell, the life to come, and the Day of the Lord: the Second Coming of Christ. What a blessing…
Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength…You shall love your neighbor as yourself. – Mark 12:29-31 Love, caritas in Latin, sums up the purpose of our lives. Loving God and others is what makes us truly human. Love unites us to God spiritually. St. Thomas Aquinas wrote, “…charity,…
…whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. – Mark 10:43-45 I recently was blessed to attend the Funeral Vigil and Mass for Servant of God Fr. Emil Kapaun. The Korean war chaplain died as…
This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh – Genesis 2:23 This one goes out to all the married couples out there. I’ll start with this: your marriage is important. Really important. Important enough for Jesus to make clear boundaries about it. Marriage between a man and a woman reflects the covenantal relationship between Christ and His Church. The exclusive, faithful love between a man and woman is a…
Holy Spirit of Christ, live and move and breathe in me. Speak your words of peace, love, and truth through me. Perform your works of charity, mercy, and power through me. Sing your hymns of praise, joy, and beauty through me. Serve your needy and poor through me. Weep your tears of sorrow and grief through me. Endure your pain and suffering through me. Forgive poor souls through me. Love your beloved children through me.…